Congratulations to two of our outstanding ECISD team members honored last night with Heritage of Odessa Foundation 2023 Community Statesman Awards. Each year, Odessans and former Odessans are celebrated for their service to the community through their professions.
ECISD’s Executive Director of Fine Arts Dr. Aaron Hawley was honored in the Arts, and Carver Early Education Center teacher D’on Paquette was honored in Education. Below are their bios, as written by the Heritage of Odessa Foundation for the event. We are #ECISDproud of D’on and Aaron!
Dr. Aaron Hawley, ECISD Executive Director of Fine Arts
Born in Marion, Illinois, and raised in Louisiana, Hawley has called Texas home for 23 years. He graduated summa cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University and earned advanced degrees from Hardin-Simmons University and the University of North Texas. He moved to Odessa in 2009 to become the director of choirs at Permian High School. Under his direction, the choir program received superior ratings at contests, performed in Hawaii, New York, London, Chicago, Orlando, and Dallas, and was featured at the 2018 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention. Since assuming the role as the Executive Director of Fine Arts for ECISD, the district has continued to be named as a Best Community for Music Education (9 Years) and as an Art District of Distinction (3 Years). He has actively served the Arts community in Odessa as a TMEA Vocal Division Chair, UIL Assistant Executive Secretary, and on the committee on standards for the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He is President of the Odessa Arts Board and as an education liaison for the West Texas Symphony. He and his wife, Lauren, are members of Immanuel Baptist Church. They have a 9-year-old son, Shiloh; an 8-year-old daughter, Alice; a 6-year-old Son, Wyatt; and a 3-year-old son, Cyrus.
D’on Paquette, Carver Early Education Center teacher
D’on Paquette was born in Odessa and is a lifelong Odessan. She attended ECISD, graduating from Odessa High School. She attended Odessa College for two years and graduated from Angelo State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1989. Upon her college graduation, she went to work for her alma mater, ECISD, where she has been since 1989. She has worked at Lamar Early Education Center, Cavazos Elementary, Noel Elementary, and Carver Early Education where she is now employed. She not only teaches at ECISD, but also spends time teaching at St. John’s Episcopal Church as a Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher and Youth Group Sponsor as well as a Vestry Member. She has also coached for the Odessa Soccer Association and the YMCA as a Basketball Coach, and an Odessa Girls’ Softball Association Coach. Paquette has received numerous Education Foundation Grants over the past six years and has been named Carver Teacher of the Year twice. In 2019/20, she was named ECISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. She also loves traveling with her daughter, Reagan.
All of the 2023 Heritage of Odessa Foundation award winners.
